Hero Without a Class: Who Even Needs Skills?! (無職の英雄 別にスキルなんか要らなかったんだが)

Oh, that's right.

I'm part of the same guild my mom used to be in now.

Morning.

Good morning, Arel. Did you sleep well?

Yeah.

Been awhile since I've been in a bed, so I slept like a baby all night.

Seems she's still holding a grudge against me after losing yesterday.

Now then, since we're all here, I have an important announcement to make.

We, Dragon Fang, have finally obtained 3 members,

and we have the number of people required to participate in a team battle.

Therefore, we will be entering the guild competition this weekend!

Hero Without a Class: Who Even Needs Skills?!

Guild Competition

A guild competition...

If we win that, will we get enough prize money to keep the guild going?

We sure will!

Let me explain one more time.

The competition is a one-on-one elimination style match.

The guild that has no members left loses.

By the way, guild teams are limited to no more than five members,

but we'll have to do our best as a group of three.

It'll be a tough fight, but we have no choice.

Well, it's rare to get paired against A-ranked swordsmen,

and we've got two B-ranks on our team.

You mentioned it before, but what are "A-rank" and "B-rank"?

You don't know that either?

It's a rank that shows how strong an individual swordsman is.

In fact, there are a total of four ranks.

Of the 500 swordsmen here in Bresgia, around 20 are A-rank.

Reiner and I are B-rank.

Since you beat Reiner, your abilities possibly fall around B-rank as well, Arel.

As long as we don't go up against an A-rank, we'll make it through!

We've got no other options, so we gotta do our best!

Oh.

The tourney bracket should be available at the colosseum now.

I'm gonna go check out which guild we're up against.

Where are you headed?

To train, of course.

Hey, Reiner...

Don't address me like we're friends!

You said you were a Power Bladesman, right?

What skill do you have aside from Brute Strength?

I also have the Guts skill.

It makes my Divine Protection last longer.

Oh. So it fortifies protection.

Wish I could learn that. If I could...

Reiner!

Wh-what is it?

Will you hit me with your sword still sheathed?

Huh?

Please!

No! Ask someone else!

I want you to do it.

Let's use this as a chance to build a relationship.

Build a relationship by hitting you?!

B-but, I don't know how to hit someone in a pleasurable way...

Can't we start with something more normal?

I feel like there's been a huge misunderstanding...

I said I wanted you to hit me because I want to reproduce the Guts skill.

Eh?

"Guts" is the same as being able to take a hit.

To learn that skill, it would be most effective for me to take hits

when I don't have my Divine Protection up.

Are you a damn idiot?!

Skills are a blessing from the Goddess!

They are not something you just choose to get yourself!

How are you so sure?

You saw my Twin Blade Slice and my Shadow Skill, right?

What are you trying to do?

This is a custom-made sword that's five times heavier than a normal one.

You would never be able to swing it...

How are you handling my sword without the Brute Strength skill?

I have more than Brute Strength.

Shadow and Twin Blade Slice are also skills that I obtained by drilling them daily.

Surely you must be convinced by now.

Does effort really mean nothing in the face of talent?

I'm sorry.

You're right. If effort were meaningless, I'd still be nothing but a mere swordsman.

Okay. I'll help with your special training.

But I won't be holding back, I'm really going to hit you!

I don't want to hear any complaining!

Course not.

I'm glad to share a hometown with such a fine lady.

I told you not to tease me!

Reiner! Arel!

H-h-orrible news!

I found out which guild we're going up against!

Get this! We have to fight the current top guild, Black Blade!

And they've got eight whole A-rank Swordsmen!

We're so screwed!

Worse yet, the guild boss Georg is vicious as a viper,

so he'll definitely marshal his forces to wipe us out!

But! Even so, we have no choice but to win!

So we have to come together as a team connected in body and soul!

Huh?! You're already butting heads with each other?!

No, we're doing some special training.

Uh-huh. All I see is you taking out your stress on the newbie, Reiner...

I-I'm not!

Ugh, I'm hungry.

Let's get some grub.

I'm surprised you have an appetite after that.

Be more concerned with getting holy water!

Guild Competition Day

So this is the colosseum...

Today's match is Dragon Fang versus Black Blade, eh?

Haven't laid eyes on Dragon Fang in ages.

Yeah, I thought they crashed and burned long ago.

It's a battle between the old top guild and the new one.

Who's got your money?

You would really risk betting on anyone else?

Black Blade is the only valid answer.

How dare he say we crashed and burned!

Whoa there!

You can bet here?

Yeah. All matches held at the colosseum can be gambled on.

By the way, the current odds for betting on us are an impressive 20-to-1!

Oh, that's great.

That means no one expects us to win, dammit!

Whoa there!

But actually,

this could be the perfect chance for us to strike it rich!

We're screwed if we lose, anyway. No prize money means no more guild!

In that case, what's wrong with betting on us winning, even if it takes a miracle?!

Am I right or what?!

W-wait. Calm down!

So, guess what?

I took out another loan using our home base as collateral and bet it all on us!

If we win, our lives will be changed forever!

People won't talk down to us with all that "poverty guild"

and "former glory" crap anymore!

But then if we lose...

It doesn't matter, cuz we're screwed either way if we lose!

If we're gonna go down, then we do it in a blaze of glory!

Truly a brave soul, how radiant.

I see you are doing your best to sustain your father's guild.

Georg...

I heard you've recruited a classless member?

And what if I did?

Did you come here just to belittle us?

Oh no, I'm here to cheer you on!

I'm upset that a once rival guild has fallen on such hard times, you see.

Is this the guy she mentioned before?

Yeah, that's Georg.

He's the guild boss of our opponents, Black Blade.

That's why I want to lend a helping hand.

I did you a favor and exerted my influence to match our guilds against each other.

You purposely made it so that we'd face each other?!

Hey now, why are you glaring at me?

A battle between old and new will put us in the spotlight.

You now have the opportunity to get your hands on some serious money.

Well, of course that's only if you can defeat our A-rank swordsmen.

We will win! We'll show you!

What a courageous spirit!

Good bye, and the very best of luck to you today.

It didn't feel like he wanted to help...

Yeah, he wants to completely obliterate our guild today.

That praying mantis bastard.

Without further ado, today's main event,

the guild battle between Black Blade and Dragon Fang will now begin!

That guild boss from earlier isn't on the list of contenders...

Are they going easy on us?

Don't be ridiculous! Their entire team is A-rank Swordsmen!

Yeah. They aren't holding back at all.

This is an even more aggressive lineup than usual.

Oh really?

Then I hope I can see some interesting skills.

Hey! The fate of our guild is riding on this, you know!

Take this seriously, okay?!

Says the one who bet all our money!

Now, will the following participants please take the stage.

From Black Blade we have... the Fencer, Gio!

I'll wipe out their whole team myself.

Next up, from Dragon Fang...

Huh?

From Dragon Fang... the classless...

The classless Arel!

Classless?!

She said that guy's "classless"!

That's gotta be a joke.

Is that him? The classless one?

What an idiot, does he have a death wish?

Damn. I'm an A-rank, why do I gotta fight a classless bloke?

I wanna have fun with the ladies.

The stage is set. You may begin!

A Blink Dash into a Critical Thrust! What a fierce blow!